Alberta Premier Danielle Smith submits West Coast oil pipeline application

Alberta has formally submitted an application to the federal Major Projects Office seeking a project‑of‑national‑interest listing for a new West Coast oil pipeline. The proposed line would follow the existing Trans‑Mountain corridor through southern British Columbia to a deep‑water, VLCC‑capable terminal on the province’s southwest coast. Alberta will partner with Trans Mountain Corporation and Pembina Pipeline on the project.

Premier Danielle Smith said the filing fulfills an Alberta‑Canada energy agreement announced in May, which includes a federal commitment to a timely review and a target to obtain national‑interest status by 1 Oct 2026, with construction potentially beginning 1 Sept 2027. Prime Minister Mark Carney projected the pipeline could bring about $200 billion in direct investment and create 175,000 jobs. The line is designed to move more than one million barrels of oil per day, helping Alberta double production to eight million barrels per day over the next decade and expanding access to Asian markets.

The provincial government also announced a tripartite agreement with the federal government and the Oil Sands Alliance to deliver regulatory reforms and growth incentives. B.C. Premier David Eby said the province will not contest the project in court, pledging to honour its constitutional obligations.